The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal

The Calculating Stars, by Mary Robinette Kowal, is an alternative history story that feels as real as the words on the page. The story of Elma York and her desire to become a Lady Astronaut will have you gritting your teeth at the injustices she faces and clapping your hands when she overcomes them. I was captivated from the start.  

Elma York and her husband are away on vacation when a meteorite strikes the east coast with devastating effects. The east coast is basically wiped off the map and the ensuing tsunami destroys coastal regions across the globe. It is not long before Elma, a gifted mathematician, realizes the full extent of the crisis. This meteor was large enough to trigger a mass extinction event.

In 1952 rocket technology is in its infancy and Washington DC and government as we know it has been destroyed. When the International Aerospace Collation is formed, Elma has dreams of going to space and then the moon as a computer.  The only thing holding her back is being female.  She has all the qualifications include the jet flight hours she gained as a WASP pilot in WWII. It will be an uphill battle and the stress of actually being in the public eye just maybe her undoing.

I loved, loved, loved this book. The writing was just outstanding and the author knows how to capture your attention and keep it. The writing style reminded me of Octavia Butler and George R. R. Martin. Yes, in my opinion, the author deserves to be counted in the company of these great authors. I see why this book has won so many awards, and believe me when I say it is well deserved.

Besides the writing, the charisma of the MC, Elma York, was brilliantly done. She is not your typical strong female lead. She has her failings. What endeared me to her was her strength in spite of the odds being stacked against her. She was able to recognize her short comings without letting them stand in the way of the thing she desire most, to be an astronaut. Through all the uphill battles she fought, she did it with a dignity we rarely see today and she remained true to herself.

The plot reminded me a little of A Gentleman in Moscow. There is not a lot going on, the story is all about the character and no so much about the events. The post-apocalyptic issue of an extinction event was very much on the side lines and I could have cared less. The author used the event to discuss social issues, that are still relevant today, in a thought provoking way. I highly recommend this book to all readers who love Sci-Fi. Yet, even if you are not a big fan of Sci-Fi this story will still have a lot of appeal. The quality of the writing alone will captivate you. Please don’t be put off by the Sci-Fi label because it is so much more and so good.